Game board having changeable pattern



Dec. 29, 1964 K. s, CAPLAN 3,163,425

GAME BOARD HAVING CHANGEABLE PATTERN Filed May 16, 1962 INVENTOR KENNETHS. CAPLAN ATTY.

United States Patent Oiice 3,163,425 Patented Dec. 29 1964 3,163,425GAME EGARD HAVING CEANGEABLE PATTERN Kenneth S. Caplan, 471 Park Are.,Elmhurst, lll. Filed May 16, 1%2, Ser. No. 195,296 9 Claims. (Ci.273-436) This invention relates to a game and to a novel game boardwhich forms a part thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a game having a gameboard formed by a plurality of relatively movable sections that form apattern over which the game is played and wherein one or more of thesections may be shifted relative to the other to vary the pattern as thegame is being played. ln accordance with the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the game board has a plurality of parallel adjacentstrips. Each strip has a single line of alternately colored squares andextends across the board, and the strips may be positioned relative toeach other to form a conventional checkerboard pattern. Each strip is,furthermore, independently slidable longitudinally an amount equal tothe width of one square, whereby to vary the checkerboard pattern as byforming a plurality of rectangular rows of squares of the same color.The number of similarly colored squares in each row will depend upon thenumber of strips that have been shifted.

l't is also an object of the present invention to provide a game having.a game board of the type stated in which the variable playing patternis overlaid by a transparent member that remains stationary when thestrips are shifted to change the pattern. The transparent memberconstitutes a playing area over which a plurality of checkers or otherdisconnected obiects are movable in relation to the subjaccnt pattern,in accordance with the rules of the game. rEhe transparent membersupports the objects whereby they remain stationary when the. slidablerips are shifted to change the game board pattern.

lt is also an object of the present invention to provide a game of thetype stated which is interesting and entertaining, and which isrelatively inexpensive to construct.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a game constructed in accordance withand embodying the present invention;

FGS. 2 and 3 are sectional viewstaken along lines 2 2 and 3-3respectively of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. l and showing the play ofthe game.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing,which illustrates a preferred ernbodiment of the present invention, Adesignates a game comprising a game board 1. The game board 1 includes ajacket 3 having top and bottom rectangular cardboard plies 5, 7, the topply 5 having a large square opening 9 therein that leaves a border 1G onthe ply 5. The plies 5, 7 Vare permanently secured together at theirmargins by binding tapes 11, 13, 1S, 17.

Mounted for longitudinalV sliding movement between the plies 5, 7 areeight adiacent parallel cardboard strips 1%, 21, 23, Z5, 27, 29, 31, 33,the upper surfaces of which are approximately coplanar, Each stripcarries on its upper surface a single line of nine squares 35a, 35h,eight of which are normally visible through the opening 9. The squares35a are of a diferent color than the squares 35b and are alternatelyarranged along each strip. Furthermore, similarly colored squares in onestrip are in opposite alternate arraneeinent with those of the adjacentstrip.

Thus, when the strips are in the position shown in FIG. 1, the patternexposed through the opening 9 will be a standard sixty four squarecheckerboard.

The endmost squares of each strip may actually be slightly elongated asat end portions 37, 39 and hence not truly square. However, since theelongated portions 37, 39 underlie the opaque top ply 5, the exposedparts of those squares appear substantially square-shaped.

Riveled or otherwise rigidly secured to the strips 19, 21, 23,15, 27,29, 31, 33 at their end portions 37 are knobs d1, 43, 45, 47, 49, S1,S3, 55 that project through parallel slots 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69,71 in the border lil of the top ply 5. The knob on each ply may begrapsed to shift that strip longitudinally independently of the otherstrips, the amount of shifting being limited by the abutment of theknobs at the end of the slots 57, 59, 61,

63, 65, 67, 69 and 71. The slots are each of a length such that eachstrip is able to move longitudinally an amount equal to the width of onesquare.

A transparent, substantially fo1msustaining plastic sheet 73 is used tocover the checkerboard pattern. The sheet 73 is square and has amarginal flange 75 extending completely therearound and tucked under theborder 10 to retain the sheet 73 in place. The central portion 77 of thesheet 73 may be raised above the strips i9, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33.

Two groups of checkers or other disconnected objects B and R may beshifted about, in accordance with the rules of the game, over theplaying area constituted by the surface of the transparent sheet 73. Anyof the knobs 57, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71 may be grasped to shift theassociated strip an amount equal to the width of one of the squares ofthe checkerboard without moving the checkers B and R from theirpositions. If all of the strips are in their initial position (FIG. l)and one of the strips, for example strip 31, is shifted, as shown inFIG. 4, the pattern on the checkerboard is changed and a plurality ofrows of squares of the same color are produced. Those rows will beformed from the strips 29, 31, 33 and each row will have threeconsecutive light squares a or dark squares 35h, as the case may be.Other changes in the pattern of the squares may be made by shiftingothers of the strips back and forth and various combinations of shiftedstrips will produce various patterns.

ln playing one type of game that uses the game board of the presentinvention, two players place their respective checkers B, R on thestrips 19, 33, as shown in FIG. 1, all of the strips being in theirinitial positions so that a checkerboard pattern is formed.

The player having checkers R tries to get as many as possible of thosecheckers onto the squares (35a or 35h) in the strip 19 while the playerwith the checkers B tries to get as many as possible of his checkersonto the squares in the strip 33. The player who has the most checkersin the last row (strips 19 or 33) of his opponents lield and cannot makeanother move or play wins the game.

Each player must shift one of the strips before each checker move, andeach player can shift only one of the strips in his own playing field,except under conditions hereinafter explained. For example, the playerwith the checkers R can shift only the strips 27, 29, 31,

33. After shifting one of the strips the player may move K square 35a itmay be moved to the right or left to the.

adjacent dark square 35h of that strip. Each player also tries to removethe opponents checkers from the game oy capturing" them. This is donewhen an opponents .checkerlies in the path of the checker being moved;In FIG. 4 typical first moves of the players are shown. The player withcheckers R has shifted the strip 31 and moved one of his checkers alonga row of dark squares 3511 from the dotted to the full line positions.The player with checkers B shifts the strip and moves diagonally along arow of light squares 35g. f

Further shifts of the strips-and moves by the players are madesuccessively, advancing the checkers and capturing opponents checkers.VCheckers once captured are notreturned to the game. When one checker ofeither player has penetrated into the opponents eld, namely, onto one ofthe four strips theretoforeshiftable only by that opponent, the playerwho has succeeded in Vmaking the penetration is no longer limited -toshifting the strips on his own field but may now shift any one of thestrips of the board before moving. Depending upon they play Vthe samestrip may be shifted back and/or forth a number of times by bo-thplayers. 'f

Checkers that a player iinally succeeds in getting yinto the opponentslast row are scored and these checkers cannot be moved again or capturedby an opponent. The underlying strip may, however, be shifted. When aplayerV has all of this remaining checkers in the last row of theopponents yheld the game is over and the winner is the one having thegreatest number of checkers in theV opponents last row.

Other games and variations of the game just described may be played withthe game boardfand objects B, R. Furthermore, while a standard sixtyfour square checkerboard formed by eight strips isV illustrated, othersizes of checkerboards are within the scope of the present invention.For example, the one hundred square so-c'alled Polish checkerboard maybe used in which case the strips will each have ten squares exposed toView and each player willhave ten checkers.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have hereinshown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. stood thatthe invention is not limited to the precise consrtuction 'herein shown,the same being merely :illustrative of the principles of thek invention.What is con-V sidered new and sought to be secured by Letters Patent is:Y

i 1..A game board having a plurality of plies one of Y which has anopening, a plurality of parallel relatively line of alternately coloredsquares and extending across and beyond the pattern region, each stripfurthermore being independently slidable longitudinally 'an amount equalto the width otone square, means for limiting the amount of` shiftingmovement of each strip to the amount specified, said means comprising apluralityof slots in the ply having the opening, each slot beingvparallel to one of the strips and of a length equal to the Width of onesquare, and a knob on each strip projecting through one slot formanipulating the strip, and a transparent member overlying the patternat said opening and remain- Ving stationary upon sliding of any of Vsaidstrips.

, 2. A Vgame board comprising a jacket having an openiring therein, atransparent sheet covering the opening, means in the jacket forming agame board pattern that. underlies the transparent sheet andis-exposedto viewV It is, however, to be undertive to the other to change the gameboard pattern without moving the transparent member.

'st iute a surface having 4. A .game boardV comprising a plurality ofplies one of which has anopening'a plurality of relatively shiftablemembers the corresponding surfaces of which conte'rnately coloredsquares in a checkerboardpattern, said members being shiftable betweenthe plies with the squares being exposed through said opening means forshitting the members an amount sulcient to change the pattern-of thesquares on the sur- Vfate toform rectangular rows of squares of the samef corresponding surfaces of which constitute alternately colored squaresforming a checkerboard pattern, said strips exposing the pattern throughthe opening means for shifting the strips independently an amountsufiicient to change the pattern of the squares to form rectangular urows of squares ofthe same color, a transparent member overlying thestrips and forming a playing surface, and a plurality of disconnectedobjects on the playing surface for Vmovet and .means for changing thepattern of -thesquares to format least one rectangular row of V squaresof the same color without moving Vthe objects on the transparentmentber;l said means including selectively shiftable area sec tions, andmeans for limiting the movement of each section to an amount equal tothe ywidth of the squares.

l7. A gameV comprising a game board having ajacket with an opening, a'plurality of parallel adjacent strips,

the strips being relatively slidable within-the jacket, the

corresponding surfaces of the strips being substantially copolanar, eachstrip having a single line of alternately colored equally sized squares,the squares on all of the strips together forming a checkerboard`pattern exposed through said opening, a transparent sheet covering theopening, a pluralityr of disconnected objects supported by 1 j thetransparent member Vrfor movement thereon, meansV as-v therethrough,saidymeans comprising a plurality of lslidf u able strips each of whichcarries a portion of the pattern, and meansn for shifting each stripindependently .ofV the transparent sheet and of pattern.

member covering the pattern and forming a playing surthe other strips tochange theA 3. A game board comprising a region having a pluralv Vityofmembers each having a pattern andltogether' ormv p ing a predeterminedgame board pattern, a transparent sociated with each strip for slidingany one of the strips longitudinally and independently of the others anamount equal to the width of one square without moving the objects onthetransparent member, and means for limiting the amount of slidingmovement of each strip to the amount specied, whereby to change thecheckerboard with top and bottoml plies marginally secured together,v

'coplanan Veach lstrip having aV single line of alternately, coloredequally sized' squares,.the squaresron all` of the Vstrips togetherforming af ycheckerboard pattern exposed through said opening, atransparent:,form-sustaining sheet across said opening, said top ,plyhavingl a Y'plurality of parallel slots equal in' number to the numberof said4 strips, each slot being of a length equal to# the width of theends of the Vslots limiting the movement ot the strips.Y by anamountequal to the wid-th ofrvone square, wherebyV a square, knobssecured tothe strips and projecting Vupward-ly through the slots formoving any -ofdtherstrips independently v,of the other, -theabutrnentvof the knobs at to change; the checkerboard pattern luy/"forming aplurality ofj rectangular. rows of squares of, the same color.

9. A game comprising a game board having a jacket having top and bottomplies marginally secured ltogether, said top ply having a large squareopening therein that leaves a border immediately adjacent to saidopening, a plurality of parallel adjacent strips, the strips beingrelatively slidable independently of each other between the plies, thecorresponding surfaces of the strips being substantially coplanar, eachstrip having a single line of alternately colored equally sized squares,the squares on all of the strips together forming a checkerboard patternexposed through said opening, a transparent form-sustaining sheet acrosssaid opening, said sheet having a margin that tits under said border tosupport the central part of the sheet in a plane upwardly from the planeof the top ply, a plurality of disconnected objects supported by thetransparent sheet for movement thereon, said border having a pluralityof parallel slots equal in number to the number `of said strips, andbeing perpendicular to two opposite edges of the border, each slot beingof a length equal to the width of a square, knobs secured to the stripsand projecting upwardly through the slots for moving any of the stripswithout moving lthe objects on the transparent sheet, the abutment ofthe knobs at the ends of the slots limiting the movement of the stripsby an amount equal to the width of one square, whereby to change thecheckerboard pattern by forming a plurality of rectangular rows ofsquares of the same color.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DELBERT B. LOWE,Primary Examiner.

3. A GAME BOARD COMPRISING A REGION HAVING A PLURALITY OF MEMBERS EACHHAVING A PATTERN AND TOGETHER FORMING A PREDETERMINED GAME BOARDPATTERN, A TRANSPARENT MEMBER COVERING THE PATTERN AND FORMING A PLAYINGSUR-